Lukaku: ‘I wanted to get revenge at Chelsea, it was a difficult season’

Romelu Lukaku reflected on his difficult year with Chelsea and his intentions to guide Inter to more trophies in the coming years.

The 29-year-old Belgian forward joined the Blues in a deal worth around €115m last summer and he was expected to light up the Premier League under Thomas Tuchel, but things didn’t turn out as planned. After a disappointing year in West London, Lukaku returned to Inter on an €8m loan deal in a bid to re-find his form.

Speaking to DAZN, Lukaku first discussed his and Inter’s goals heading into the new season.

“I don’t care about the Capocannoniere race. I’ll tell you honestly, I only think about the Scudetto. We are at Inter, here we play for the Scudetto, we don’t play for individual things.”

He revealed which Nerazzurri player found out about his return first.

“Lautaro. We spoke on Instagram, I had changed my number. And then on WhatsApp. He was one of the first I talked to, then Dimarco, Bastoni and the others.”

The Belgian striker touched on his inner anger following a difficult year with Chelsea.

“The season at Chelsea gave me extra motivation to do even better than before. I think in one year everyone has forgotten about the things I am capable of doing on the pitch. 

“That is a kind of anger that I have inside me. That now the team has it too, which didn’t win last year, all together we hope to do better and bring something home.”

Lukaku spoke about what went wrong after his €115m move to Chelsea.

“So many things. I think before, when I left, I wanted to take revenge at Chelsea because when I was young it was my team for 11 years. I had the opportunity to go back there and thought I would be a hero, but that wasn’t the case. 

“In March, when I heard there was an opportunity to come back here, slowly I didn’t say anything, but toward the end of the season we did a very good job with the club and I was able to come back here. 

“I make reflections only at the end of the season, so after the last game I put myself to think what my situation was. I saw that as a player with Inter I did well, the season at Chelsea for me was difficult. I had no doubts, that’s why I made the decision to come back here.”

He commented on the work he started doing once he realised he’d be returning to Inter.

“To fit into the team as best I can, Inter plays differently than when I was there. The important thing for me is to fit in well, to understand the coach’s system. 

“During the year I had a lot of contact with Inter players, for me it’s like I’m in my second year and I never left.”

The 29-year-old touched on what new things he’s seen at Inter since returning.

“The players have more desire to win, every match is life or death and I like that. We need this. This team is even more united than before.”

He spoke about his striking partner Lautaro Martinez.

“I told him he has to do more! We both told each other that we have to do better than before. If we want to achieve team goals, we all have to do better because the other teams have become stronger. 

“I saw right away that his qualities can help me and my qualities can help him. We are not selfish strikers, I know when it is Lautaro’s day and not mine, so I help him and we win and take it home. 

“We want to win even the little matches, we are always on opposite teams because we want to be competitive, but we know that even together we can make a difference for the team.”

Lukaku discussed the pressure on him following his high profile return.

“The pressure is there in training. There is always someone always provoking in training, this is the biggest pressure, the rest doesn’t matter. I am focused on the pitch, I don’t read newspapers, I work hard and in the end Inter has to win, the rest doesn’t matter.”

He spoke about the kind of player he’d have been if he never joined Inter.

“It was destiny to play for Inter, like for Anderlecht and Chelsea. It was what I imagined, Inter and Anderlecht and Everton gave me the opportunity to become the player I am. 

“The love of the people and the fans, for me and for my family, I thank them and I still apologise for how I left, but I have to speak on the pitch.”

Finally, Lukaku discussed his mental growth over the last few years.

“When I arrived at Inter I became like this because I came from two difficult years mentally at Manchester United. 

“Physically I suffered because I was not there mentally, I have to thank Conte because he made me a strong player, but mentally he really made me grow, he taught me to never give up and to give my best. That will stay with me until the end.”